Tom Lockyer poses with the medical staff who saved his life as Luton captain returns to the scene of his cardiac arrest at Bournemouth… while Cherries are hailed for ‘class’ programme gesture

Luton captain Tom Lockyer posed with the Bournemouth medics who saved his life on Wednesday after returning to the Vitality Stadium for the first time since suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch in December.

Lockyer collapsed during the Cherries’ home match against Luton last year and was technically dead for two minutes and 40 seconds before his heart was restarted by paramedics. 

Ahead of the rescheduled fixture on Wednesday, Bournemouth chose to place Lockyer – rather than one of their own players – on the front cover of their matchday programme in a touching gesture to the defender. 

Heaping praise on the Cherries hours before kick-off, Luton posted on X: ‘A touch of class’. They accompanied the words with an orange and red love heart, representing the colours of Bournemouth and Luton. 

Lockyer, 29, had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) fitted after the terrifying incident which is there to shock his heart back into action should it ever stop again.

WARNING: Disturbing images below

The defender was on the front of Bournemouth’s matchday programme in a touching gesture

The 29-year-old Hatters captain cuts a relaxed figure at the Vitality Stadium ahead of kick-off

Lockyer’s heart stopped for two minutes and 40 seconds before paramedics restarted it during the fixture back in December, which was called off midway through the second half

His cardiac arrest at Bournemouth was Lockyer’s second heart issue in a matter of months after he suffered an atrial fibrillation (AF) in the Championship play-off final at Wembley last May. 

Lockyer reunited with the Vitality Stadium medics who saved his life on Wednesday night, as his side prepared to take on Bournemouth after four losses in their last five league games.

Luton boss Rob Edwards, who described Bournemouth’s medical staff as ‘true heroes’ during his press conference on Tuesday, admitted it will be an ’emotional’ return for his players.

‘It will be emotional going back and reliving that experience but we know we have to do it,’ he said. 

‘They (the medics) are the true heroes. It is only football and there are more important things, but what those guys did in the most pressurised moment was incredible and they deserve all the attention and affection that they are going to get.

‘It was a really difficult experience that we all went through. The main thing now is that Locks is okay and the silver lining is that some good will have come from it with more awareness on CPR and the importance of knowing what to do in those emergency situations.’

Ahead of the rescheduled Premier League match, supporters trusts held events to raise awareness around cardiac health. The Cherries Trust and Talking Cherries have raised more than £2,000 for Luton’s supporter coaches to attend the game.

When discussing the incident in December, Lockyer said he was ‘technically dead’ for two minutes and 40 seconds and thanked the medics for ‘resurrecting’ him on the pitch

Rob Edwards described the Bournemouth medical staff as ‘true heroes’ ahead of kick-off

Lockyer, 29, spoke about the terrifying moment he thought he was dying on ITV last month

Both supporters trusts are set to make a presentation and donation to the British Heart Foundation at half-time at the Vitality Stadium, and a one-minute applause has been organised for the 59th minute of the match – the time at which the initial fixture was abandoned. 

He showed off the scar where his implantable cardioverter-defibrillator was fitted

Lockyer, who gave birth to his first daughter last week, opened up on the terrifying moment at the Vitality Stadium last month.

Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Lockyer said: ‘Back in May at the Play-off final it was something different. Back then, it was AF, which is the top part of the heart and is not life-threatening.

‘Back then at Wembley, because it was the first time, nobody really knew what was going on. It was “oh is it his ankle, is it his knee, the heat?” All these things. 

‘This time everyone knew this is serious and the manager Rob Edwards, he came on within five seconds and that is unheard of. Everyone kind of knew this was serious this time.

‘There was no doubt this time and I kind of knew as well which is why when I started coming round and I couldn’t move or speak, the staff there on site were more in ‘go-mode’. They were focused and it was very serious.

‘That’s when I was like, “wow, I could be dying”. Obviously when you’re lying there and you can’t speak and can’t move, it’s not a nice feeling to have.

He’s vowed to think carefully about his health and family before attempting a return to football

There will be a one-minute applause for Lockyer in the 59th minute of the rescheduled clash

‘But when I could move and speak, I felt fine, which is the mad thing. I wasn’t sore, I wasn’t in any sort of pain. My heart got back into rhythm thanks to the incredible medical staff.

‘I’m so lucky it happened where it did because if it was to happen outside of hospital or a football pitch, the survival rate is only one in 10.’

Luton travel to the Vitality Stadium knowing that a win will climb them out of the relegation zone on goal difference, as the Hatters currently sit three points behind Nottingham Forest in 18th place.